


Breathe Into Me

by Beautiful_Dreams



Category: Heroes of Olympus - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Nico di Angelo - Freeform, Statues, ghostfire, i don't know what else to put, i hate backspaces, leo valdez - Freeform, new idea, valdangelo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-30
Updated: 2014-07-30
Packaged: 2018-02-10 11:51:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2024076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautiful_Dreams/pseuds/Beautiful_Dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meet Leo Valdez, best mechanic in the country by age 16. He's even won the awards to prove it. He also happens to be a secret, bona-fide sculptor, spending long winter nights carving. He laughs and jokes like nothing's wrong. But his talent comes at a price, it's damn lonely being by himself in the little shop he keeps. What happens when a mysterious woman asks him to carve her a statue named Nico di Angelo? And it comes alive?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breathe Into Me

**Author's Note:**

> Just a one-shot.

 

 Aphrodite sat in her seat, swinging her legs. The gods were having another one of their boring councils. She twirled a golden lock around her finger absentmindedly. For lack of other options, she dug out her magic mirror and peered into it hoping to find someone in the mortal world, who needed a little help in the love department. Suddenly something popped up to the side. She gazed intently at it. Perfect. 

 

*

 

 Leo Valdez sighed, leaning back against the old grease-stained chair. Running a hand through his unruly curls, his gaze wandered absentmindedly around the room. He just couldn't focus on anything these days. He didn't want to tinker, eat, sleep or talk. The last surprised him because usually he couldn't keep his mouth shut to save his life. He wasn't happy, sad or angry either. Just lonely. Always lonely. 

 

_Whoop-De-Doo!_

 

The front door swung open. A customer. (What he was thinking when he installed that sound, we'll never know.)

 

He groaned softly and put down the jumbled mess of wires he had been toying with. He really hated mornings. Nevertheless, he plastered (what he hoped was) a friendly smile on his face, and went out to see who it was. Ten minutes later he walked back to his work table, wiping his hands on a wet rag. All Old Man Jenkins had wanted was an oil change, easy. 

 

He'd barely sat down when he heard that obnoxious cry again. He was used to this. Everyone in town seemed to want things fixed before 7 o'clock, or normal waking hours. Leo had no idea why but it didn't bother him at all, rather, he was grateful for it. Working was a great distraction against the nightmares. Even the word sounded sinister. The falling ones were the worst. Every morning, he'd wake up screaming. Probably waking up half the neighbourhood as he laid there, sweating and gasping. 

 

 _Self-pitying time's over, Valdez. Let's get to work._ He thought, dragging himself up again. 

 

***Much Later***

 

Waving away his last satisfied client, Leo locked the door behind him and flipped over the sign with a relieved air. Another day was finished. Although he loved working in the shop and wouldn't have traded it for anything, taking breaks never hurt.

 

The latino whistled happily, turning around to go upstairs when...

 

*Crash!*

 

"Sorry!" He caught himself just in time, narrowly avoiding a most undignified faceplant in the floor. 

 

"Oh, zat's fine." A raspy voice spoke behind him. It was tainted with, a French accent? 

 

The old crone behind him sighed. 

 

He stared at his guest, certain everyone had left already. Still, he pulled a smile (if somewhat confused) on. 

 

"Uh, can I help you ma'am?" He tried politely. 

 

"You are a sculptor as well as a mécanicien, no?" 

 

He almost had a heart attack. How did she know? No one was supposed to know. 

 

Then the boy regained his composure, studying his guest with new eyes. She wore a simple black shift that stretched to the floor, dotted with holes. A thin shawl was thrown over her bony shoulders, and the threadbare headband tying her graying, matted hair back had definitely seen better days. She was gently fingering (no dirty thoughts) a porcelain dove hanging over her heart. He hadn't noticed it at first glance, but now he couldn't believe it had been there all along. The tiny bird appeared to be fluttering its wings with an incessant fervor. 

 

"How did you know I sculpture...?" Leo tried but failed to conceal the bewilderment in his voice. 

 

"Call it a guess. You see, my son haz... recently passed. But he loved art more than anything, particularly statues." Her eyes shone brightly as she remembered. 

 

"It'd do this old heart good if you'd carve him for me, to honour hiz memory. But az you see, I am poor. And you must finish it in a very limited time..."

 

"How long?"

 

"By sundown on the 27th." 

 

He had about a month and a half. Usually it took him a month just to CHOOSE THE BLOCK. He did a quick calculation. If he gave up sleeping and showering, maybe, just maybe he'd able to pull it off.

 

She handed him an ivory scroll. The second the paper touched his palm it unraveled itself at his feet. Seemingly by magic. At this point, he didn't know if he was hallucinating or not. 

 

"I don't..." He began, not wanting to take anything of this strange woman's.

 

"Pleaze, I beg you. He waz the only piece of happiness I had left..." She looked as if she was on the brink of tears. 

 

"It's just that I..." 

 

The woman smiled hopefully, prompting him to go on. There was something to it that made Leo's hesitation disappear very quickly. 

 

He found his voice again. "Ok."

 

Still smiling, she vanished in the wink of an eye. 

 

Now that he was alone, Leo rubbed his eyes and fixed his gaze on the piece of paper he was holding. The only evidence left of this strange encounter. 

 

A boy etched in pencil glared out at him, obsidian eyes so cold and full of hatred that Leo had to repeatedly remind himself it was just a drawing. Just a drawing. The boy had equally dark hair and skin the colour of cream. But as he watched, more and more details jumped into place. Like the leather bomber jacket wrapped oh-so tightly around him, or the silver skull ring sitting comfortably on his index finger. A matching sword appeared by his side, but why this boy would need a sword he didn't know. The image grew and changed until not a single detail was missed, from the frayed hem of his black skinny jeans, to that missed stitch in his t-shirt. As his gaze wandered over the picture, he noticed a cluster of words in the top left corner.

 

_**Nico Di Angelo.** _

 

So that was his name.

He knew at once it wasn't going to be easy, but something screamed at him to try. The Latino stood back now, touching his fingers to the picture to make sure it was still just that, a picture. When he felt the unbroken surface, he scolded himself for being so childish and left it on the floor. 

Going over to his worktable, he pressed his index finger into the wooden knot at the side, waiting impatiently for the fingerprint scan to load. The machine clicked twice in approval and revealed a hidden doorway that had been cleverly hidden behind a gigantic refrigerator. Thinking nothing of it, he walked in, inspecting the rows upon rows of marble. Searching for the perfect one.  

Finally he came across a perfectly smooth block. 7-Foot high and 3 foot wide. It was pure white, untainted, and creamier than all the surrounding pieces. He didn't know it yet, but it would become his masterpiece.

 

Wheeling it into the room, he whipped out his hammer and chisel, standing before the hunk of marble.

 

With a low bow, he introduced himself. (Pleasantries were not to be skipped, even with inanimate objects). 

 

"Hi. Nice to meet you, Nico. Leo Valdez, professional mechanic and sculptor at your service. How are you doing today? Good? That's great to hear! You see-"

 

 _*_ _DING_

 

"OH! My cookies are ready!" He laughed at this unexpected interruption and quickly went to take them out of the oven, nibbling on a chocolate chip one as he ambled back. 

 

"Right. Sorry, these are to die for. They way they melt in your mouth is just... so fucking... Jesus Christ... I can't even. Store bought ain't got nothing on this! Once you try one, you'll never go back..." He stopped his rambling. 

 

"Anyway, I sort of need to carve something out of you, so... yeah. It might hurt a little."

 

He stayed there for a few minutes, scanning it over with his eyes -deciding how to start. When he had planned everything out, he dug the chisel into a relatively planate spot near the base and began to carve. 

 

 

 

***Time Skip***

 

He put down his tools, stopping to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Upon discovering an ice-cold can of coke conveniently located in the unfinished statue's hands (who knew they made such good beverage holders?) his eyes grew wide. He was 100% sure he wasn't the one who put it there but drank it anyway, tilting his head to drown the liquid in three gulps. Wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve, he picked up where he left off. 

 

"Thanks Neeks."

 

The motionless figure stared back at him, marble features showing a thoughtful look. 

 

***Time Skip***

 

Santa's elf knelt on the floor, buried up to his chest in a sea of marble that was gradually rising. The dishes stacked dangerously to the sky, (one more would've done it) threatening to topple, and the phone rang incessantly off it's hook, but he ignored them all. 

 

Because he'd found a new way to pass the time. And that was talking to the statue, Nico di Angelo. 

 

Now he couldn't shut up. All the words that had been trapped in him for so long now flowed like water. He talked about everything and anything. His life, his dreams, his feelings. Anything went. He'd ask the statue what his favourite color was, if he liked the movie Wall-E. As the weeks went by, it became his confident, the best friend he never had. Of course, the hunk of marble never talked back, but that was irrelevant. 

 

***Time Skip***

 

Leo yawned, sticking his head out past the pile of Chinese take-out to glance at the clock. It read 12:54. The stench coming from his clothes would've stunned a yak and he'd give his right hand for a shower. But rubbing his eyes, he pressed on. The statue was halfway done. 

 

  ***Time Skip***

 

The Latino could barely keep his eyes open. It got so bad he had to set an alarm clock. Fall asleep, wake up to abhorrent blaring, drink more caffeine than the legal limit, repeat. But he knew he couldn't stop now. The statue was almost finished. He looked up at it. Through unfocused eyes, it still glared at him, but something was off. It took him a while in this state, but he finally got it. It's eyes were softer, not quite so 'I'm going to murder you if you so much as look at me." Leo thought he was taking his first steps to lunatic land. 

 

  ***Time Skip***

The sun shone warmly on an exhausted Leo, who had worked day and night for a month and a half to finish it. 

 

Aphrodite materialized in his workshop, unbeknownst to him of course. She giggled and quietly lifted the tarp that covered the fruit of his labours. With a smug smile, she replaced it again. She'd known he was good, but this was literally a work of art. Hephaestus was going to have a great time playing janitor to her new club. There was just one little thing left though. 

 

When he woke 3 hours later, he found the ivory-coloured envelope sitting on his desk. Curious, he slipped his finger beneath the edge and opened it. 

 

 

**_Meet me at Aphrodite's temple at sundown for your reward. Don't be late._**

 

 

Leo turned red. Then he noticed there was more writing on the back.

 

 

**_Not that kind of reward. But something you require and will love just the same._**

 

Oh. 

 

He cast a look towards his masterpiece. Nico now appeared to have a worried look on his face, could he have been worried over Leo? Probably not. The changing expressions thing had creeped him out at first, but after a few weeks he got used to it, even going so far as to find it adorable. When he slid a finger lovingly over the other's hard, snow-white cheeks he swore he saw a faint blush cross the other's face. 

Leo stood there, marveling over the perfectness of it. Everything about the marble boy was perfect, from his tousled black marble hair to his sneaker-clad feet. When he took a cursory glance towards the window a little while later, he almost fainted. 

He'd spent so much time fawning over his work that he didn't even notice the sun sink lower and lower in the sky until it was almost out of sight. 

 

 

Grabbing his jacket, he high-tailed out the door (Think Temple Run x 100), barely making it as the sun dipped below the horizon. As he stepped into the low entrance, a thousand thoughts whirled through his head. He had no clue what his "reward" would be. He didn't need money, he didn't wish for fame. Heck, even luck wasn't that appealing to him. What could it be? A beautiful seated lady waited inside, standing to greet him. 

 

"Who are you?" He asked, quite out of breath. Cheeks still pink from the mini-workout. 

 

She tisked. 

 

"Shame! You came to my temple and didn't even recognize me."

 

"A-Aphrodite?"

 

The goddess winked, blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders. 

 

"In the flesh. You have come for your reward?" 

 

"You were that weird old lady?!" 

 

She sighed. "Yes. I had to test you to see if you really deserved him." 

 

"I'm not following..."

 

Huffing indignantly like a peacock with it's feathers ruffled, she grumbled. "Fine, no small-talk then. Enjoy your reward."

 

Aphrodite chanted a long, complex spell in a language very ancient-sounding before touching Leo very softly in the heart. Then she disappeared from sight. 

 

 _What was that about?_   He wondered on the way home. The key felt foreign in his hands as he slipped it key into the lock. He hadn't done it for 3 months after all.

 

Holding his breath, he entered. The shop was quiet. Nothing seemed to be touched.

 

But as he got closer, he realized something **had** changed.

 

The final piece of the statue was finished. 

 

His jaw dropped to the floor.

 

Nico's finished lips now glowed bright pink, beckoning. A crazy thought popped into his head. She was the love goddess after all, but what if it didn't work? Then as if to help him make up his mind, he felt a sudden pull towards the statue, like a string being tightened. He couldn't have stopped himself if he tried.

 

Approaching the statue very cautiously, he half-expected something to jump out and attack him. When nothing did though, he let out a breath of relief and continued to walk.

 

Now only inches away from his his work, his magnum opus, his Nico, his eyes seemed to flutter shut by themselves and there was a long moment of hesitation before he leaned in. The kiss was like nothing he had ever experienced. It just felt so right. He felt a shiver run down his spine. 

 

Suddenly, he drew back. Nothing had happened. The statue was still a statue. Leo was still Leo. Heartbroken, he turned away, touching his own lips where they still tingled with from the kiss. A cold-but-stil-kinda-warm feeling that only Nico's touch could give him. 

 

What the hell was he thinking? Of course it wouldn't work! 

 

_***Cough*  *Cough*** _

 

 _What the...?_ He turned around to see his statue's body shaking with coughs -literally waking up. When the boy finally opened his eyes, his real eyes, they fell on Leo with a blank gaze. 

 

Everything was silent for a few minutes as they stared at each other.

 

"Um... I'm-"

 

"You're Leo Valdez and you're a mechanic and a sculptor. Who also really likes chocolate chip cookies. I know."

 

If he was surprised before, now he was astonished. The boy's voice was low and comforting, with a very slight Italian accent. 

 

"Y-You heard all that?!" 

 

The other boy rolled his eyes, 

 

"Of course, marble has great amplifying properties you know." 

 

The latter looked down in amazement at his newly-flesh legs, testing their strength carefully. When he deemed them able to support his weight, his dark eyes locked on the other's, wide with uncertainty yet oddly confident at the same time. Leo smiled in encouragement at the newly not-statue. 

 

He nodded, gulping nervously. Then slowly, eyes never leaving the Latino's, he raised a foot to take his first step as a not-statue. Then another. Then another. After what felt like years, he finally stopped in front of a transfixed Leo who was mesmerized by the graceful gait. 

 

"I think I found something better than chocolate chip cookies..."

 

Was all he had time to say before Nico's lips crashed onto his, effectively stopping all conversation. 

 

 

 

 

Aphrodite laughed out loud from her seat in the Olympic council. The other gods and goddesses stopped mid-conversation to shoot her funny looks, but she paid them no mind. 

 

 _You owe me, repair boy._ She thought smugly. _  
_

 

Now Leo was too busy making out passionately with a former-statue to form a coherent reply of any kind, but she believed it was something along the lines of

 

_Anything._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
